Christmas on a shoestring budget

Molly Cerreta Smith loves writing about all things mommy, parenting, food, health and travel. When she's not staring into the face of her Mac, she loves to hike, read, do messy crafts with her kids and compete in BBQ competitions with he...

don't break the bank during the holidays

The commercialization of the season causes many parents to start sweating. Enjoy the spirit of the season as a family without busting your budget.

Remember the real reason for the season

Your kids may love Christmas merely for the pile of gifts they’re anticipating under the tree… but perhaps they need a reminder about the true spirit of the season. Throughout the coming weeks, re-educate your children about the meaning of Christmas.

Outside of discussing the significance of the season, it’s OK tell your children the truth about needing to cut back this Christmas. This is a great way to introduce the lessons of the value of money and the importance of creating and sticking to a budget. Challenge all of your family members to create homemade gifts or find special, meaningful gifts that don’t have to cost a fortune.

Spearhead creative gift exchanges

Instead of exchanging gifts with everyone in your office, your family, your moms’ group and on your block, why not organize some gift exchanges or food swaps? Better yet, consider scrapping gift giving for doing some good for others.

For example, a white elephant gift exchange is always fun at your work holiday party and it’s fairly easy to organize a gift exchange with your extended family — just make sure everyone participating gives three ideas for what they’d like to receive.

Before the holidays are in full motion, when you meet with your moms’ group, brainstorm how you can all make one another’s holidays easier by doing a food swap (kind of like a cookie exchange, without limiting yourself to baked goods). Talk about the “rules” before you meet for the exchange. Each member of the group brings enough of her specialty for everyone in the group. The item should be about equal value (for example, it’s not fair for one mom to make cookies and another to make pate). And the food item should be something that can last for a little while (at least a few days) such as a dip or a casserole that can be frozen and cooked closer to the holiday.

Talk to your neighbors about joining some funds ($10 or $20 each) and donating it to a good cause or get together and volunteer at a food bank this season.

Host a potluck Christmas dinner

Instead of footing the entire bill for your holiday feast this year, ask your guests to pitch in. Ask each guest or family to bring one dish (organize this beforehand so you don’t end up with three bowls of mashed potatoes and no stuffing!). You can be responsible for the holiday ham, turkey or whatever main dish denotes the Christmas holiday for you and yours.